I've been here a couple of times this year with my husband, small child and dog (they allow dogs on their patio! So rare.). The beer specials are always decent, the food is pretty good and the service has always been good. Don't kid yourself - this is a standard bar with standard bar fare... but when you want a decent burger and a beer, you just can't beat the outdoor seating overlooking the lake and the value of this place.
(3)
Vic D.
I am a former regular customer who won't be back. The (new) owner hired a band to play the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, then shorted thier pay by 50 percent and sent them home because of a small crowd. The band did what they agreed to do. Why didn't Sam pay them what he said he would? Why didn't he promote the band by putting their name on the marquee? Why didn't he expect a light crowd on a holiday weekend and perhaps not book a band in the first place? The musicians were professional. The owner of this place is an amateur.
(1)
Robert G.
I ordered the wings tonight -- based on a recommendation -- and they were terrible. Michelle, the bartender who was very friendly and sweet, said that she'd never heard they were bad before... Nice environment, enjoy the cozy feel across from the water, food is bad.
(2)
Kevin S.
Service is beyond terrible! Each round of beer took 20 minutes to arrive & that was after asking 3 times, along with trying to just get a refill on my water. 1 meal came after my 2 friends got theirs & had finished. On top of that, got my order wrong. I asked for a baked potato, got french fries. The fix took another 30 minutes. What a joke! This is my first & last time coming here! Blacklisted, along with the crappy music that was way too loud to make for an all around unenjoyable experience!
(1)
Food J.
This place has never been the same since It was Kodiak. Every time I go back to give it another try, it's worse. Nice location and good Looking restaraunt is what gives it a star. The draft beer tasted over carbonated and the burger my spouse ordered was sent back twice because they don't know how to cook it. To top it off, after not eating the burger and telling them to forget it since even after the second time sending it back to the kitchen, the waitress still put it on the bill! She argued saying it was replaced by a second burger and cooked fine. She did end up taking it off the bill but I'm disappointed she argued. I hate to see this restaurant go under, but I can't see it lasting unless Gordon Ramsey visits and gives them an ear full. They need a new kitchen and bartending staff. Also train their waitresses to not argue with the customers.
(1)
Dana O.
I have seen this establishment change many owners. This new owner has gone way to far. My husband and I went for drinks to feel like we were in a strip club. Seeing 2 girls with panties showing and grinding each other in this community is truly disgusting. I hope other people will come forward to the township. this is a reflection of our town and I as one do not want anything reflecting a strip club around us.
(1)
Jamie W.
I wouldn't recommend coming here. Service was terrible, it was a 2 Hour ordeal start to finish because every little thing took forever. We ordered the fish and chips and rueben. Neither were tasty or prepared decently. ( the fish and chips had waay too much breading- very little fish, yuck. Rueben had 2 thin pieces of meat) We both ended up sick in bed at 8pm that night.
(1)
Bob Z.
We like the Cooley Lake Inn. Good food & drinks at a fair price. Entertainment has been very good. For whatever reason service can be hit or miss. Parking is limited. I would suggest you give it a try or two.
(4)
John C.
Ill start by saying that this place has the worst smelling mens bathroom i have ever expirenced. I dont think its been cleaned since the building was called Kodiak creek. Iv been here a few times for dinner and a few times just to get a drink. The food for the most part was not good. Once i ordered a philly cheesesteak and there were burnt black bits leftover from other orders mixed throughout. Clean your flattop! The wings are nothing but breaded gfs bagged garbage (no wonder they sell them for $0.25 some nights). Looking around at other peoples food you can tell that the cooks either dont know what they're doing or dont care. Probably both. I can say that the fish and chips were not bad the one time i ordered them, and the service has always been good. The drinks are very cheap. The bar is massive and looks ridiculous. Hopefully when this place closes down the next person knows what there are doing with this great location.
(2)
Dave G.
I am not always easy to please, but I did like my night here. The All you can eat fish was pretty good and the waitress was always reasy to bring more. The service was very good to me. She stopped by right away, and check regularly. Nice decor and one of the few place in this area to see good entertainment. Tosha Owens sang and was VERY impressive. I dont know how anyp0ne could have not liked her and the band. It was not very full, and that may have helped with the fast service, but I will go again.
(4)
Debbie E.
Don't go unless you have endless time to spend. We sat outside, ignored...by two waitresses. Had to go inside and get our own drinks. Our friends came, still ignored...had to go inside and get their own drinks and some menus. Still being ignored. One waitress past us 3-4 times to get to the table behind us and she never once made eye contact. Went inside thinking we would get waited on...haha, joke was on us. Waited, again. Got excited when one of the waitresses said hi, but then she turned around and walked away. After I made sure we weren't invisable, we decided to try sitting at the bar,( even though half of us wanted to just leave), we were finally acknowledged. So by now it's 55 minutes after we arrived and we've had one drink...that we got ourselves, we're on our third round of musical seats and finally someone spoke to us! Beyond ridiculous!! They got my order wrong, I didn't say anything because who knew how long the fix would take. I got a quesadilla and told her cheese 3 times and I got a chicken quesadilla, not the end of the world but I really did stress that I wanted only cheese . The only reason I gave it any stars was that they had some blues bands there and they were very good. It's too bad this place is so messed up, I could have seen our group spending time there on music nights. Never again, this place will not get a second chance. There are too many places who appreciate our business to waste time and money here. Glad I had a groupon!
(1)
Renee W.
Not sure why my husband and I continue to give this place a chance. The service is terrible and as I sit here the manager is busy doing shots with his buddies while our glasses are empty. You'd think as a manager he would help out but it seems he'd rather BS with the guys. Completely understaffed. Hopefully it will change hands again soon. Too bad because it's a nice location.
(1)
Wanda L.
A solid 3 stars. Went with the BF and kid. Wasn't sure how accommodating CLI would be on the child front, but there was one in a high chair at another table when we sat down. We had a JB Dollar Stretcher coupon that had the On The Waterfront name (as per the sign outside when we rolled up), but they are apparently Cooley Lake Inn now. They still honored it. Ordered up fries and a water for the child. His water came in a capped child-size cup with a bar mixing straw. Fries were good, large, salted and hot. We got the shrimp cocktail to start ($9). It came with 6 big cold shrimp and kinda spicy cocktail sauce. It was GOOD. BF ordered the 8 oz. sirloin with the onions and mushrooms ($14). He forgot to them tell plain as they come standard. It was cooked his specifications (rare) and he deemed it Good. His baked potato was cut jaggedly on purpose vs. straight down the middle which looked cool. The vegetable were the frozen mixed seasonal kind. They were Meh, as was expected. I ordered the Black and Blue Cheese Steak Tip salad ($12). It was a pretty big salad with cucumbers, red onion, romaine, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and hunks of blue cheese and good chunks of steak requested cooked medium. The steak was pretty tender and flavorful, but I was expecting a bit hotter temperature than how it arrived. I ordered the balsamic vinegar and oil dressing and it went well together. I think Italian dressing would have worked well too. Overall the salad was Good. We got the hot brownie dessert with ice cream topping and that was good as well though we did not finish the whole thing as the bottom got a little soggy from the ice cream. You could definitely share that between 2 people, though I would request an extra scoop to go with it. That was $4. With 3 drinks we hit just under $50 for the bill before the tip and JB coupon. We went around Halloween and the staff was in full costume. Place was nearly full and sizable with a large vaulted ceiling. Noticed daily dinner and lunch specials (wanna try the $6 Monday Taco Bar in time). There was an activity board with many events listed. Ladies nights consisted of Pampered Chef, candle party and other such 'fun' stuff. I guess having alcohol immediately accessible makes the sales pitch tolerable and the purchasing judgment looser. The decor was mixed. Sorta cabin-y with things like a big Kramer/Seinfeld painting way up on the wall. Our server, Samantha, was not super friendly, but accommodating enough and efficient. She brought every single thing we asked for in a timely manner. The ambiance is very casual and laid back, There are 2 pool tables, a larger bar area, tables and booths, lots of TV's and a band area. It currently bills itself as a destination for live music based on their internal literature. There was a band there tuning up to get ready about the time we left a little after 8PM. We will definitely be back to try Cooley Lake Inn again. They have an active Facebook page if you wanna check in on the latest and greatest.
(3)
Michael P.
Formerly on the waterfront aka Kodak speedboat or Duffys. They added a much bigger bar much better food and great staff. Keep it up and I will become a regular.
(4)
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Address :8635 Cooley Lake Rd
Commerce Township, MI, 48382
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Brynn M.
I've been here a couple of times this year with my husband, small child and dog (they allow dogs on their patio! So rare.). The beer specials are always decent, the food is pretty good and the service has always been good. Don't kid yourself - this is a standard bar with standard bar fare... but when you want a decent burger and a beer, you just can't beat the outdoor seating overlooking the lake and the value of this place.
(3)Vic D.
I am a former regular customer who won't be back. The (new) owner hired a band to play the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, then shorted thier pay by 50 percent and sent them home because of a small crowd. The band did what they agreed to do. Why didn't Sam pay them what he said he would? Why didn't he promote the band by putting their name on the marquee? Why didn't he expect a light crowd on a holiday weekend and perhaps not book a band in the first place? The musicians were professional. The owner of this place is an amateur.
(1)Robert G.
I ordered the wings tonight -- based on a recommendation -- and they were terrible. Michelle, the bartender who was very friendly and sweet, said that she'd never heard they were bad before... Nice environment, enjoy the cozy feel across from the water, food is bad.
(2)Kevin S.
Service is beyond terrible! Each round of beer took 20 minutes to arrive & that was after asking 3 times, along with trying to just get a refill on my water. 1 meal came after my 2 friends got theirs & had finished. On top of that, got my order wrong. I asked for a baked potato, got french fries. The fix took another 30 minutes. What a joke! This is my first & last time coming here! Blacklisted, along with the crappy music that was way too loud to make for an all around unenjoyable experience!
(1)Food J.
This place has never been the same since It was Kodiak. Every time I go back to give it another try, it's worse. Nice location and good Looking restaraunt is what gives it a star. The draft beer tasted over carbonated and the burger my spouse ordered was sent back twice because they don't know how to cook it. To top it off, after not eating the burger and telling them to forget it since even after the second time sending it back to the kitchen, the waitress still put it on the bill! She argued saying it was replaced by a second burger and cooked fine. She did end up taking it off the bill but I'm disappointed she argued. I hate to see this restaurant go under, but I can't see it lasting unless Gordon Ramsey visits and gives them an ear full. They need a new kitchen and bartending staff. Also train their waitresses to not argue with the customers.
(1)Dana O.
I have seen this establishment change many owners. This new owner has gone way to far. My husband and I went for drinks to feel like we were in a strip club. Seeing 2 girls with panties showing and grinding each other in this community is truly disgusting. I hope other people will come forward to the township. this is a reflection of our town and I as one do not want anything reflecting a strip club around us.
(1)Jamie W.
I wouldn't recommend coming here. Service was terrible, it was a 2 Hour ordeal start to finish because every little thing took forever. We ordered the fish and chips and rueben. Neither were tasty or prepared decently. ( the fish and chips had waay too much breading- very little fish, yuck. Rueben had 2 thin pieces of meat) We both ended up sick in bed at 8pm that night.
(1)Bob Z.
We like the Cooley Lake Inn. Good food & drinks at a fair price. Entertainment has been very good. For whatever reason service can be hit or miss. Parking is limited. I would suggest you give it a try or two.
(4)John C.
Ill start by saying that this place has the worst smelling mens bathroom i have ever expirenced. I dont think its been cleaned since the building was called Kodiak creek. Iv been here a few times for dinner and a few times just to get a drink. The food for the most part was not good. Once i ordered a philly cheesesteak and there were burnt black bits leftover from other orders mixed throughout. Clean your flattop! The wings are nothing but breaded gfs bagged garbage (no wonder they sell them for $0.25 some nights). Looking around at other peoples food you can tell that the cooks either dont know what they're doing or dont care. Probably both. I can say that the fish and chips were not bad the one time i ordered them, and the service has always been good. The drinks are very cheap. The bar is massive and looks ridiculous. Hopefully when this place closes down the next person knows what there are doing with this great location.
(2)Dave G.
I am not always easy to please, but I did like my night here. The All you can eat fish was pretty good and the waitress was always reasy to bring more. The service was very good to me. She stopped by right away, and check regularly. Nice decor and one of the few place in this area to see good entertainment. Tosha Owens sang and was VERY impressive. I dont know how anyp0ne could have not liked her and the band. It was not very full, and that may have helped with the fast service, but I will go again.
(4)Debbie E.
Don't go unless you have endless time to spend. We sat outside, ignored...by two waitresses. Had to go inside and get our own drinks. Our friends came, still ignored...had to go inside and get their own drinks and some menus. Still being ignored. One waitress past us 3-4 times to get to the table behind us and she never once made eye contact. Went inside thinking we would get waited on...haha, joke was on us. Waited, again. Got excited when one of the waitresses said hi, but then she turned around and walked away. After I made sure we weren't invisable, we decided to try sitting at the bar,( even though half of us wanted to just leave), we were finally acknowledged. So by now it's 55 minutes after we arrived and we've had one drink...that we got ourselves, we're on our third round of musical seats and finally someone spoke to us! Beyond ridiculous!! They got my order wrong, I didn't say anything because who knew how long the fix would take. I got a quesadilla and told her cheese 3 times and I got a chicken quesadilla, not the end of the world but I really did stress that I wanted only cheese . The only reason I gave it any stars was that they had some blues bands there and they were very good. It's too bad this place is so messed up, I could have seen our group spending time there on music nights. Never again, this place will not get a second chance. There are too many places who appreciate our business to waste time and money here. Glad I had a groupon!
(1)Renee W.
Not sure why my husband and I continue to give this place a chance. The service is terrible and as I sit here the manager is busy doing shots with his buddies while our glasses are empty. You'd think as a manager he would help out but it seems he'd rather BS with the guys. Completely understaffed. Hopefully it will change hands again soon. Too bad because it's a nice location.
(1)Wanda L.
A solid 3 stars. Went with the BF and kid. Wasn't sure how accommodating CLI would be on the child front, but there was one in a high chair at another table when we sat down. We had a JB Dollar Stretcher coupon that had the On The Waterfront name (as per the sign outside when we rolled up), but they are apparently Cooley Lake Inn now. They still honored it. Ordered up fries and a water for the child. His water came in a capped child-size cup with a bar mixing straw. Fries were good, large, salted and hot. We got the shrimp cocktail to start ($9). It came with 6 big cold shrimp and kinda spicy cocktail sauce. It was GOOD. BF ordered the 8 oz. sirloin with the onions and mushrooms ($14). He forgot to them tell plain as they come standard. It was cooked his specifications (rare) and he deemed it Good. His baked potato was cut jaggedly on purpose vs. straight down the middle which looked cool. The vegetable were the frozen mixed seasonal kind. They were Meh, as was expected. I ordered the Black and Blue Cheese Steak Tip salad ($12). It was a pretty big salad with cucumbers, red onion, romaine, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and hunks of blue cheese and good chunks of steak requested cooked medium. The steak was pretty tender and flavorful, but I was expecting a bit hotter temperature than how it arrived. I ordered the balsamic vinegar and oil dressing and it went well together. I think Italian dressing would have worked well too. Overall the salad was Good. We got the hot brownie dessert with ice cream topping and that was good as well though we did not finish the whole thing as the bottom got a little soggy from the ice cream. You could definitely share that between 2 people, though I would request an extra scoop to go with it. That was $4. With 3 drinks we hit just under $50 for the bill before the tip and JB coupon. We went around Halloween and the staff was in full costume. Place was nearly full and sizable with a large vaulted ceiling. Noticed daily dinner and lunch specials (wanna try the $6 Monday Taco Bar in time). There was an activity board with many events listed. Ladies nights consisted of Pampered Chef, candle party and other such 'fun' stuff. I guess having alcohol immediately accessible makes the sales pitch tolerable and the purchasing judgment looser. The decor was mixed. Sorta cabin-y with things like a big Kramer/Seinfeld painting way up on the wall. Our server, Samantha, was not super friendly, but accommodating enough and efficient. She brought every single thing we asked for in a timely manner. The ambiance is very casual and laid back, There are 2 pool tables, a larger bar area, tables and booths, lots of TV's and a band area. It currently bills itself as a destination for live music based on their internal literature. There was a band there tuning up to get ready about the time we left a little after 8PM. We will definitely be back to try Cooley Lake Inn again. They have an active Facebook page if you wanna check in on the latest and greatest.
(3)Michael P.
Formerly on the waterfront aka Kodak speedboat or Duffys. They added a much bigger bar much better food and great staff. Keep it up and I will become a regular.
(4)